Golf Books

[Ole_Tom_Morris]

You don't have to read about golf to play golf, or to play golf well. Possibly, you play better if you don't read about it. But more books have been written about golf than any other sport. There is a vast literature out there. Maybe you have dipped into it, or maybe not.

But I am curious:
1. What books about golf do you like most, and why?
2. Is there a book you are hunting for?

Let me start the ball rolling with my list of the best golf books:
1. The Harvey Penick/Bud Shrake series. So plainly written, easy to read; the Zen Buddhism of Golf

2. Education of a Golfer, Sam Snead. I like the dialect and Snead stories of "when touring pros rode four to a car and slept two to a bed."

3. Leadbetter's The Golf Swing. Have to pick a swing book, and it's on my shelf; I prefer Leadbetter to Harmon.

4. Afternoons With Mr. Hogan, Jody Vasquez. Like the movie "Shane", you see the hero through a boy's eyes, and you hold the Master's clubs in your hands.

I am looking for:
1. Wild Bill Melhorn's book said to be privately printed.
2. Snead book about golf gambling, cons and sharks
3. The Moe Norman bio
4. Anything about Titanic Thompson (I am interested in con-persons, and if you have any TT sources or stories, I would like to hear from you).

[NCGolfer]

  Ole_Tom_Morris said:

1. What books about golf do you like most, and why?

The Bob Rotella books. In this game it is very important to keep your head straight and stay confident in yourself. Rotella does a great job in framing the mind of great golfers. Although he uses some of the same stories and lessons in his books, it is important to drive home his points. I would highly recommend his book "Golf is Not a Game of Perfect" to anyone. If you enjoy that, he has a bunch more that are on the same lines.

I think they can be had relatively cheap at half.com. My wife picked me up one for my birthday last year from there.

  Ole_Tom_Morris said:

2. Is there a book you are hunting for?

Yeah, Harvey's Little Red Book. I have it and can't find it anywhere...it's making me upset. I'll probably just buy it again.

[Ole_Tom_Morris]

  NCGolfer said:

Rotella does a great job in framing the mind of great golfers... I would highly recommend his book "Golf is Not a Game of Perfect" to anyone... Harvey's Little Red Book.

I need to check out Rotella.

What appeals to me most about the Harvey Penick/Bud Shrake books is the careful way Penick used language. He coached with a nudge and a suggestion, and knew if he said something in the wrong way, it could hurt.

[NCGolfer]

  Ole_Tom_Morris said:

What appeals to me most about the Harvey Penick/Bud Shrake books is the careful way Penick used language. He coached with a nudge and a suggestion, and knew if he said something in the wrong way, it could hurt.

I think that this is why you will like Rotella. A lot of his books have common sense. Things that on paper sound like no-brainers, but when you get on the golf course are hard to remember and practice. Also, he does not get preachy.

If you do get them, let me know what you think. I've lent mine out numerous times and people have really liked them.

[iacas]

I like any reasonably well-written book that talks about architecture. My first - and perhaps my favorite - is "Anatomy of a Golf Course" by Tom Doak. If I were building a course, I'd hire Doak in a second because I like how he thinks.

I like Dave Pelz' Short Game Bible.

I've never read a Rotella book, and the Penick books are nice and all, but I don't like reading books that have 100 different tips in them because I like to keep things simple. Penick stuff is good if you can find the one tip to serve as your swing thought for the day, but otherwise if you choose the wrong one, good luck.

I may try the Rotella stuff, though... I think my mental game is pretty strong, but I will easily admit that I have trouble visualizing things or maintaining a consistent pre-shot routine (because I've been working on it this year, dammit).

[mediaguru]

The best golf book ever is Harvey Penick's Little Red Book.